In ancient times, the Lord not only provided land boundaries for His people in Israel — He also provided boundaries in time through His calendar. His set months and seasons marked appointed times for the Israelites to know how and when to meet with Him, mapping out His coming and going with the changing seasons. According to that calendar, the Hebrews traditionally confirmed the beginning of a month by witnesses carefully testifying before their ruling council, the Sanhedrin, that they had seen the new moon.
Today as believers, we do not have a Sanhedrin or celebrate the new moon, but we do have witnesses before us who testify to what they have observed. Saints throughout the ages have become for us like stars to a ship sailing on the ocean — fixed points that situate us in time and space, forming a fine, bright line across generations, tracing the seasons of the Lord’s going forth and returning, seeding and harvesting. And even more, today we are anchored in the church, finding our positioning according to the living relationship we have with the saints. It is our privilege to be anchored to one another in these life relationships, daily able to give and receive for our mutual strengthening and stability. While the world may be growing more uncertain, in the church life today we find our compass and direction to continue on in this journey of faith unto His return.
Without all these anchors, we would be like “wandering stars,” drifting in darkness (Jude 13). But we have these many witnesses shining in the night sky and His word pointing us to live and prepare for His return. We don’t need to be a theologian to interpret these times. We just need to go out and “look up.” We are anchored by these many stars before and among us, a firm foundation and a boundary for us who are sailing through a turbulent ocean of space and time.
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 7/28/2024, not reviewed by the speaker.)